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Renowned action movie maestro John Woo has taken a firm stance against superhero movies, expressing his preference for what he terms as “real cinema,” aligning himself with the sentiments echoed by acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese, Variety reports.
In a recent interview with The New York Times ahead of his latest release, “Silent Night,” Woo discussed his aversion to big-budget spectacles and comic book adaptations, emphasizing his admiration for the cinematic artistry found in Martin Scorsese's productions. The Hong Kong director, celebrated for classics like “The Killer,” “Hard Boiled,” and “Face/Off,” underscored his affinity for Scorsese's style, eagerly anticipating the release of “Killers of the Flower Moon” and expressing a fondness for the old-fashioned essence found in such films.
Woo echoed Scorsese's criticism of superhero movies, affirming that these blockbusters, despite their technical prowess, do not resonate with his cinematic preferences. Scorsese had previously contended that such films, while well-made, resemble theme parks more than genuine cinema, lacking the emotional and psychological depth he values in the art of filmmaking.
As Woo returns to Hollywood with “Silent Night,” a dialogue-free action feature starring Joel Kinnaman, he marks a notable re-entry into the American film landscape. While his recent directorial ventures were rooted in Hong Kong, Woo felt the time was ripe to re-engage with the U.S. film industry. His Hollywood portfolio includes notable titles like “Hard Target,” “Broken Arrow,” “Face/Off,” and “Mission: Impossible 2.”
Woo's candid disapproval of superhero-dominated cinema and his alignment with Scorsese's critique reinforce the ongoing debate within the film industry regarding the impact and artistic merit of big-budget, CGI-laden blockbusters versus the traditional essence of storytelling and character-driven narratives. As he makes his return to the American film scene with “Silent Night,” Woo's commentary brings attention to the ongoing dialogue about the definition and evolution of “real cinema.”
